Indoor Gardening Plants

From farmers’ markets and Community Supported Agriculture, to urban farms and rooftop gardens, to produce delivery services, more and more people across the U.S. are embracing farm-fresh food.

And for good reason: Locally grown produce tends to be better for the environment and for local communities than its store-bought counterparts. Growing food at home also ensures that growers know exactly where their food comes from and how it was grown (no need to worry about deceptive food labeling). If you’re not whipping out the pruning shears yet, consider this: Learning new skills is good for our brains.

Luckily, you don’t need to be a farmer (or even live near a farm) in order to reap the benefits of home-grown produce. If you have a sunny window (or two, or five) and a bit of extra time on your hands, then you’re capable of growing your own food right at home. Read on for our roundup of 16 easy, healthy plants to cultivate indoors — and how to get them growing! Dont forget to click here: gardensonata.com.au

The 16 Best Healthy, Edible Plants to Grow Indoors

General Growing Tips

All of these plants require well-draining soil, which means you will either need to use a pot with holes in the bottom or pile up some stones in the bottom of your pot before adding soil (so that the water can drain through the stones)

For each of these plants, feel free to purchase potting mix at a garden center or make your own (You can also choose whether or not you want to stick with organic soils). You an also check here: gardensonata.com.au For more amazing garden accessories and equipment.

Fruits and Veggies

"Avocados"

Why They’re Healthy

Avocados are chock full of healthy fats in addition to vitamins E and B6 and carotenoids, which are high in vitamin A and have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, and eye degeneration. No wonder these fruits are one of our favorite superfoods!

How to Grow:

It’s possible to grow an avocado tree from an avocado pit, but doing so may not yield edible fruit. If you want to eat what you sow, it’s best to purchase a dwarf avocado plant (varieties that yield the larger green-skinned fruit or the more common black-skinned fruits are equally good) .

To tend for your tree, add some sand to the bottom of a large, well-draining pot before filling it with regular potting mix and planting your tree.

How to Harvest:

Green varieties are ready to harvest when the fruits’ skin turns slightly yellow, while darker varieties are ready when their skins have turned almost black.

Ripe fruits can be left hanging on the tree for a few weeks, but any longer than that and they’ll start to lose their flavor and texture.

"Carrots"

Why They’re Healthy

Carrots are a good source of a variety of vitamins and minerals, including thiamin, niacin, folate, manganese, potassium, and vitamins B6, A, C, and K.

They also supply carotenoids, which are a big boon for eye health .

How to Grow:

Purchase carrot seeds and a pot or window box that’s at least a foot and a half deep and wide, with drainage holes at the bottom. Fill the container to within an inch of the top with a humus-rich potting mix.

How to Harvest:

Carrots are ready for harvest when they’ve grown to about ¾ of an inch across the top (just below the green stem).

If you can’t see the carrot itself, gently brush aside some soil around the stem so you can size it up (Note: Though it may be tempting to see how big carrots can get, they’ll start to lose their sweetness and flavor once they surpass their peak size.).

"Garlic Greens"

Why They’re Healthy

Pungent garlic is a member of the cancer-fighting allium family. It’s also a Greatist-approved superfood that’s been linked to improvements in high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.

How to Grow:

Growing actual garlic bulbs indoors is a bit tricky, but you can easily grow garlic greens, which can be used just like scallions.

Start by purchasing a few garlic bulbs with small cloves, and don’t be afraid to buy a shattered bulb (i.e., one that’s started to burst or is fully pulled apart). Dont forget to click here: gardensonata.com.au.

How to Harvest:

Once the shoots are 8-10 inches tall (this will take a few weeks), clip off whatever you need with scissors.

When the cloves start putting up more sprouts, compost the contents of the pot, fill it back up with fresh potting soil, and plant new cloves (Each clove only sprouts good greens once; to have a constant supply, you need to keep re-planting).

"Lemons"

Why They’re Healthy

A Greatist superfood, lemons are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, which could help decrease heart disease risk, reduce inflammation, and fight some cancers .

How to Grow:

If you want the option of harvesting fruits right away, purchase a two-to-three-year-old dwarf tree at a nursery.

How to Harvest:

Most lemons will ripen in six to nine months. Test for ripeness by looking for full color and gently squeezing the rind — a slight “give” indicates that the lemons are ready for eating.

"Mandarin Oranges"

Why They’re Healthy

These sweet little fruits are a decent source of antioxidants, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and fiber.

How to Grow:

How to Harvest:

Mandarins need to be harvested as soon as they turn orange in order to preserve their flavor. When the fruits turn orange, clip or carefully twist and pull the fruit from the tree, making sure that the “button” at the top of the fruit remains intact.

"Microgreens"

Why They’re Healthy

A big bowl of leaves can be a stellar source of vitamins A, C, K, and folate.

How to Grow:

Start by purchasing a variety of seeds, such as radishes, kale, Swiss chard, beets, basil, and dill.

How to Harvest:

Once the seedlings have grown to one or two inches in height (expect this to take three weeks or more) and have about two sets of leaves, they’re ready to eat!

"Mushrooms"

Why They’re Healthy

Mushrooms aren’t just flavorful; they’re also a good source of fiber and vitamin C as well as antioxidants and cancer-fighting compounds .

How to Grow:

The easiest way to grow mushrooms indoors is to purchase a kit or grow them in a laundry basket.. You can also vist here: gardensonata.com.au For more amazing garden equipments.

"Salad Greens"

Why They’re Healthy

Just like microgreens, salad greens (which include iceberg, spinach, romaine, red leaf, and arugula) are chock full of vitamins A, C, and K, and also contain folate and iron.

How to Grow:

Begin by purchasing starter plants or seeds from a local nursery (You can also order seeds online).

How to Harvest:

To harvest mixed greens, pull off only the outer leaves to allow the plants to keep growing, and be sure not to disturb the roots.

"Scallions"

Why They’re Healthy

Like garlic, scallions are part of the allium family of vegetables, which has been associated with cancer prevention and may help protect the body from free radicals.

How to Grow:

No seeds required! To cultivate your own scallion crop, simply buy a bunch of scallions, wrap the bulbs together with a rubber band, and place the whole shabang (greens, bulbs, and all) in a glass with an inch of water.

How to Harvest:

Snip the green tops (leaving at least an inch or two of the plant in the dirt) as needed. To use the white part of the scallion, harvest the plants when they’re six inches tall.

"Tomatoes"

Why They’re Healthy

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may help prevent coronary heart disease.

How to Grow:

Start by selecting one six-inch pot (for one plant) or a larger pot (approximately 12 inches) if you’d like to grow two plants.

How to Harvest:

Tomatoes grown indoors will not grow to be as large as outdoor tomatoes, but they’ll still be full of tomatoey taste.

"Basil"

Why It’s Healthy

This flavorful herb is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties thanks to the oil eugenol, which can block enzymes in the body that cause swelling .

How to Grow:

How to Harvest:

Gently snip leaves from each plant, being sure not to remove all the leaves from any one plant.

"Cilantro"

Why It’s Healthy

Cilantro yields high concentrations of carotenoids, a good source of vitamin A that may help protect against heart disease, stroke, and cancer .

How to Grow:

Begin by purchasing coriander seeds (fun fact: coriander is actually cilantro in seed form) or starter plants and selecting a container that’s at least eight inches deep and has holes in the bottom for drainage.

How to Grow:

How to Harvest:

Gently snip a few leaves from each plant, making sure not to remove all the leaves from any one plant.

"Rosemary"

Why It’s Healthy

The heavenly-scented herb is rich in carnosic acid, an antioxidant that may help limit weight gain and improve cholesterol levels .

How to Grow:

Start by planting seeds (or propagating cuttings) in a container with holes in the bottom for drainage. A soil made from a mixture of two parts potting soil to one part coarse sand works well.

How to Harvest:

Gently snip a few sprigs from each plant, being sure not to remove all of the leaves from any one plant.

7 Indoor Gardening Tips for Thriving Houseplants

Just like we slowdown in winter, so do our houseplants. Thriving in summer, they are subjected to low light levels, short days, dry heated air, and a chilly house in winter. As their growth habits change, so must our indoor gardening tasks. Dont foget to click here: gardensonata.com.au

Less H2O.

Interior plants need less water in winter. A major cause of killing any kind of plant is over-watering.

Air spaces in the soil get choked with water. Plant roots need air as much as they need water and nutrients.

Hold The Fertilizer

Plants are dormant in the winter and do not need an artificial boost of growing power.

Let in light and keep plants clean.

To accommodate low light levels, keep leafy plants clean. Dust cuts down on the light necessary for photosynthesis, which feeds the plant. Here’s how you can keep plants clean:Use a rag and clean warm water or put the whole plant in the shower. This is a good way to remove pests such as aphids, mealy bugs, scale, and spider mites, too.

Finish up the makeover by removing brown and dead leaves to prevent disease. Keep your windows clean to allow in as much light, sunshine, and heat as possible. As the sun moves from north to south in fall, the light through the windows will change.

Increase Humidity.

To combat dry indoor air, put rocks or pebbles in saucers, and fill with water. Be sure the bottom of the pot is not touching or standing in the water.

Group plants together for more humidity or run a humidifier or vaporizer.

Prepare For Spring

In February, the lengthening days will produce new growth on your houseplants. Your indoor garden will need more water and some organic fertilizer.

Continue to check for water, and fertilize at half-strength. As the days continue to get longer and warmer, water and fertilizer will need to be increased.

Cut Away Old Growth

Late winter is also time to prune your houseplants. They may have gotten leggy with the low winter light, but you also want to encourage new growth.

Refresh The Soil

Remove the plant from its pot, trim the root ball back, and put it in a clean pot the same size with new potting soil. If it is really pot bound, break up the root ball a bit, and put up to a size 1-2 larger.

Remember:

Plants bring life and color into the home and require little in the way of maintenance. Follow these simple tips and your plants should thrive.